The Collected Letters, Volume 5

I have seen the Lord Advocate, who informs me that you are willing to print an Edition of 750 copies of my Ms. at your own cost, on the principle of what is called “half profits”; the Copyright of the Book after that to belong to myself.

I came down at present to say that, being very anxious to have you as a Publisher, and to see my Book put forth soon, I am
ready to accede to these terms; and should like much to meet you, or hear from you, at your earliest convenience, that the
business might be actually put in motion. I much incline to think, in contrasting the character of my little speculation with the character of the Times,
that now (even in these months, say in November) were the best season for emitting it.

TC-JM [JMU], [6 Sept.]. MS: John Murray, Publisher. Pbd: Samuel Smiles, Memoir of John Murray (London, 1891), II, 351–52. The date of “Tuesday Noon” agrees with Carlyle's account of his fruitless call on this date in his letter to
Jane of 8 Sept. Carlyle had learned on 5 Sept. that Colburn was not interested in publishing Sartor.